Kindred, the Eternal Hunters: Lamb's Journey
by clane
Summary: "Never one, without the other." Kindred is the white embrace of nothingness and the gnashing of teeth in the dark. Shepherd and the butcher, poet and the primitive, they are one and both. When caught on the edge of life, louder than any trumpeting horn, it is the hammering pulse at one's throat that calls Kindred to their hunt. But before they became one, they were all alone.
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

* * *

The Eternal Hunters

The gloomy night hovers the misty dark sky and the forest under it, is just as they are. The silence is overbearing but if you're one of some creatures, you could hear the plea of the souls raging in the depths of the underworld. A mysterious young boy stands over there. Adventurous yet seemingly fragile and threatened. Above the trees, he floats. The lingering darkness crept him to the bits. He's afraid to meet _them_ _again_ _._

"What a surprise! It is the little boy again, Lamb!" From his back, a voice was heard as if it's from the deepest part of hell. The young lad cringed and slowly turned around to see his two _friendly_ foes despite of the fear welling up inside his small tiny body.

The dark creature quickly snaked to his side and spoke excitedly: "Can I eat him _now?_ " As if on cue, the lad had tried to step backwards but he couldn't. The boy's little legs were already far from functional, it gave up. Even though the little boy knew the creature was just scaring him out, he is indeed tied up in its game.

"Calm now, little child, you know that Wolf here is just playing." The fluffy alabaster creature, which seems to be Lamb, walked closer to his fidgeting body. He did not know what to feel nor how to feel but when the white creature touched his groggy hair, he almost felt peaceful despite the other companion's presence.

At the background, Wolf rolled his head in annoyance and boredom. "Why can't you just _end?!_ " Wolf growled as if it's calling its dark instincts to slaughter the terrified living thing beneath him. The boy gasped a short amount of _oxygen_ with his small thin lips because of Wolf's uneasy question, or rather _desire_. Lamb kept the boy calm yet deep inside, Lamb felt the unfairness of what her dear companion had said. She too have been wondering why this young lad is very special. In which every time they'd meet him, they would not take away its life.

Lamb shook her head and looked at his almost-grinning comrade, he was just fooling around again. Although he was, she delicately and seriously replied back: "Balance is very important, dear Wolf." She already knew the enigma behind the special boy. The lad was the totem of _life._

The young boy found himself dumbfounded when the two opposing creatures was gone like a sand flowing in the air as he blinked. He hardly couldn't process what actually happened, he had _once again_ evaded the Kindred, so he thought…


	2. Chapter I

CHAPTER I

* * *

 _It was a serene night when we met._

True, I am afraid of darkness and hated to be alone; even so, I came to the forest. Bringing myself and my lamp, I began to trudge to the hidden woods. There were no reasons why I wander. I am still finding it out.

Sometime in the morning, I'd see birds fly above the woods. I remember looking at them when I was born. In the center of a clearing, the snow engulfs me. Many flying creatures were traveling through the air. They seemed so free. I didn't know what they were, so I called them. "Hey!"

One of them had noticed me. It talked to its fellow as they all agreed. "What is it, little Lamb?" I was petrified of what he called me. So I hoofed to them and impulsively they fleeted back.

"What did you just call me?" I was so confused. What is a _lamb?_ So I asked them what was going through my head: "What is a lamb?" I sat at the soft snow as to hope for an answer and for them to calm down too. I rested my palms over the white ground then tilted my head to the side.

Before they answered, they gave a small chortle. "You. You are a lamb!" Said the leader of the group with full of clarity. "A young sheep. That's right, you're still a child that's why you don't know anything!" Tweet, tweet, tweet. They all laughed at me.

"Then why don't you teach me, umm…" Curiously, I looked closer to them. "… Flying things?" I said without notice.

The head of the bunch twitched in an annoying way. It jumps and jumps towards me then flew over my nose. "We are not things, terrestrial creature." It seems that he was mad from the tone of his voice. He turned to his group and called out, "Come everyone!" He shouted with glee. "We shall left this poor living here." They chuckled in unison. Once again, the leader turned to me but with a look of disgrace. "We should not let it know great things as it may exceed us. Come!" And with that, the flock of birds flew away, leaving me alone in the winter.

Why do they somewhat irritate me? How that bird made me frown and clench my fists confuses me? Then the day came. I learned I was feeling belittled and _annoyed._ But in contrast, I feel good for them. Now, I've known who I am, honestly.

I am a _lamb._

At some night, I came to the forest. It was almost magical. There were flashy green sparks everywhere in the dark woods. They were shimmering as if they were the only thing that exists in this gloom. But that's not the only thing…

There, I heard a shrill and creaking noise everywhere I go. I thought the green lights were the only thing that could be sensed here. There is also something for the ears. As I stroll around, the noise continuously screamed until it doesn't feel pleasant anymore. It is until I got to an old big tree in the middle of the woods, I saw an insect that had long legs and wings and is a bit bigger than a normal bug. It looked like it was hugging the dense log forever. The thing didn't scared me though; in fact, I approached it with curiosity.

"What are you, little thing?" I asked as I leaned closer to it while being much decent as possible. The thing did not shift nor move away. It does its stupid and irritating chirp again while its wings goes up and ceaselessly opens. The dark insect finally opened up to me.

"I am a cricket. I use to protect homes from bad luck when I was younger." It then chirps again. This time, it wasn't as infuriating as earlier. "I used to sing for reminiscence and recollection of fond memories." Suddenly, with my own eyes, I saw how its eyes change from emptiness to a soft serendipity.

"I shall return to my home, where I should bring my luck." The little cricket then flashed me a smile. I didn't gave the same gesture but cocked my head to the side in some sort of haze written on my face. "Thank you for giving me the chance and opportunity to once again remember who I am, dear friend." There is still a wondering look on me that the cricket doesn't seem to see. Excited, the black insect started to flew off while waving me a swift goodbye. This moment, I gave the same action. I waved and smiled too. It was a small chat but I learned something very important from him.

It is good to know and remember who you are.

In my case, I don't know. I did not know what my purpose was or is. I am a lost lamb in the forest. I was born from a tundra and I had no parents there raising me. I lived alone, studied alone and did things _alone._ At first, it seems to me that it's unhappy to be lonely but I quite got used to it. There are times when I think that I should be with my parents or with someone new now.

 _I am so alone._ I thought to myself with sorrow and gloom. _And my life will forever be like this: all alone._ I lay down over the dirt and rest my back at the large trunk where the cricket formerly resides. That cricket… it called me _'dear friend'._ What is friend? Closing my eyes, I mum a single wish: " _I wish there is someone by my side."_


	3. Chapter II

CHAPTER II

* * *

 _Hope was painted on my face._

"Haaaww~" I yawned along with a stretch of my limbs. I woke up in the place where the cricket and I met. I watch the sun rose from the east as I face it with a fleeting smile. Finally, I stood up and searched the site. _Where are the glowing lights last night?_ It was until I concluded those things only shows up at night. "I shall see it tonight then," I muttered to myself.

I went deeper to the swallowing woods. I continued my _own_ journey. As the cricket says, I must know–find–myself. One day if we meet again, I'll ask him what is 'friend' that he continuously states. The word is very new to me; in fact, I only heard it from him. Perhaps he is deluding me, but he was a really nice person. Now I am downright confused.

The time came when I got hungry. I used to not know what to eat back then, but when this cow from a farm kindly gave me some of his green herbal foods, I learned that my diet is consuming grasses, pastures, and sometimes those four petal leaf. It was an easy thing for me since the whole world is almost filled with that, and I am obviously glad for it. Maybe, I'm not that completely bad at all, I think; however, today is comparatively scarce. I am _really_ thirsty for water.

As I moved on to look for a swamp or a river, _or a lake_ , I heard a hissing sound that appears to be coming for me; suddenly, for an unbeknownst reason, I feel unbelievably terrified. "Ssss~ hello, little lamb." Its voice is unwelcoming as if it's coming from the deepest parts of earth. It spoke slowly, making me shiver along with its frigid tone. Its presence accommodates the unpleasant dark atmosphere of the sudden silent forest: The tweeting birds and the croaking toads are gone. _If there were toads, I must be close to a pond then._

The long slender creature slowly wraps itself over my feet. Half of its body is still on the rather dying dirt. What a long and helpless one. Having no hands or limbs to support him, it only uses its body _alone_. "W-What are you?" Unlike any normal conversation with the caterpillars, the bees, and sometimes the frogs, this weird living thing makes me very _uncomfortable… and still thirsty._ My mind can't stop fantasizing about a crystal liquid passing through my dry throat.

Hisses, the long scaly creature: "I am a snake!" It tightens its grip on my limb, making me fall to the ground. I cringed in pain, loud enough to make my throat drier. "But perhaps…" The slender reptile loosen its hold and took time to examine my pitiful distress. "… You must be thirsty, dearie." What an understanding snake! Oh yes!

With my dry throat, I courageously approached the frightening creature: "Yes! I am, _wise_ snake. Do you know a nearby stream?" Before the snake spoke, it showed me its thin rattling tongue along with its _cursed_ hissing.

"Come," All it said; in spite of that, I hesitate not. For sure, a mere forest creature would help me for a bit. We walked a few steps towards a clearing and finally a river that shines and shimmer along the sunny rays clearly resides on it. "Hope you have a nice drinking, ssss~" Hisses the snake and quickly leaves the place with a hint of suspicion. _Well, he showed me a river and then…_

I didn't even get to thank the hospitality the snake showed to me. I wonder if this is a _fresh water._ "Lalala Lala~ Lalala Lala~" I happily sung melodic notes while trudging closer to the river. Briefly, I stopped moving after seeing a triangular shaped mouth in front of me; other than that, it was a big, big mouth with thorny teeth. _What? Is this perhaps his territory?_ I know then that I should ask for permission to drink a few of his water but it fears me that I am stunned that I could not speak.

 _What terrifying reptile!_ I gradually coughed to get it attention, "Ahem! E-Excuse me, mister. Can I ask for permission to drink a few of your _fresh water?"_ The nervousness surrounds my tiny body as the creature closes its lips before it could speak. My eyes, which was looking everywhere but the swamp animal, halted its movement to see the _landlord's_ ones. What an eerie aura.

"You made a _fool_ of yourself!" Shouted the angry creature at my bewilderedness. "However… Before this crocodile could make his _mistake_ , please do so, little Lamb." A _crocodile._ A beautiful name he has. Maybe, he's not really bad at all. I should thank him then.

"I'm glad, mister crocodile. I thought you were about to do something heinous _like the snake I met recently._ Thank you!" I, once again, resume to happily sing melodic notes 'till I reach the edge of the river. "Mmm Mmmm Mm~ Mmm Mmmm Mm~"

Drips, it drips, _it drips,_ the fresh liquid through my throat. As I turn around to say: "Thank you, mister cro-" _It drips,_ the blood of another living. Round as an ostrich's egg my eyes were. "M-Mister?" He didn't bother to acknowledge my attention, so I just _let it be_. "You must have had a nice meal-" Huh? The crocodile is… _crying_. What a peculiar one!

As a fellow _individual_ , I cut the line between us and went towards him. Calm as I speak – "Are you okay, mister crocodile?" Unknown to me, my arms reached to him as if to embrace him: Acceptance is it? "No one shouldn't cry on their meal, sir." Those tears, I wiped them of the reptile's eyes. It does not suit such _beast._

" _L-Lamb?"_ It pronounces my name: It calls me.

"Yes?"

"What kindness you show for someone who desires to _consume_ you." Said the dry and scaly animal with an odd mixture of fondness and regret. He wanted to make me his lunch?

I flashed a bright smile and cheerful eyes. "If you were to eat my tiny figure, mister…" I paused for a moment of excitement, "… Please don't lament over it."

In the end, the crocodile never ate me; instead, it looked at his right with repentance and hurriedly went back underwater – to his _home_. And before I could skip ahead to continue my journey, I left a word to the crocodile who didn't seem to enjoy its meal: "I don't know why you cry. But if it makes you do when you eat, please stop doing so. Living things aren't born to just cry and live, it will never let you _move on_ over a mistake, mister."

And Lamb continues her journey to finding herself; but she asks herself for a while during a nice stroll with the _glowing lights_ , with the _fireflies_ :

 _What was I saying earlier to the mister? Well… Nevermind._


End file.
